February 12 Friday – Susy Clemens wrote of misgivings about her father’s neglect of his own writing:

Mamma and I have both been very much troubled of late because papa, since he has been publishing Gen. Grant’s book, has seemed to forget his own books and work entirely, and the other evening as papa and I were isterine up and down the library he told me that he didn’t expect to write but one more book, and then he was ready to give up work altogether, die or do anything, he said that he had written more than he had ever expected to, and the only book that he had been pertickularly anxious to write was one locked up in the safe, down stairs, not yet published [Papa 187].

Note: The unfinished book Susy referred to was the long-neglected “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven.” It’s likely that it remained unfinished due to Sam’s sense that a public revelation of his private views on religion even through parody might tarnish his image, and thus cost overall book sales.

Susy also wrote that “Papa has written a new version of ‘There is a happy land’,” a Sunday school song published in 1843 by Andrew Young (1807-1889). Sam wrote beside Susy’s announcement, “No, it was Billy Rice’s new version. Got it at his nigger-show. — S.L.C.” [Papa 191; Gribben 793].

Charles Webster wrote to Sam about negotiations with Mrs. George McClellan’s agent, William C. Prime.

I have had a talk with Mr. Prime this morning and I told him we were strong in the opinion that one volume was the proper form for the book. He acquiesced if we could get 700 pp in one volume. I told him we could at $3.75, the same price as Blaine’s, so that is decided [MTLTP 197n2]. Note: The reference is to James G. Blaine’s Twenty Years of Congress: From Lincoln to Garfield.